John f



(No Model.)

x J. P. BEVIN. APPARATUS FOR BLOWING SAND PROM RAILWAY TRACK RAILS.

N0. 440,690. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

nmvizswis.

11125170. mam

PER

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. BEVIN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TOEUGENE BRETNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR BLOWING SAND FROM RAILWAY-TRACK RAlLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,690, dated November18, 1890.

Application filed May 1,1890- Serlal No.350,250. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. BEVIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indian apolis, in the county of Marion and State of betweenthe wheels of the cars and the rails,

thus requiring an increased power to draw the load, and in partneutralizing the good eifect of the use of the sand under the drivers.

The use of Water or steam for the abovedescribed purpose isobjectionable, as it wets the mechanism adjacent to thedischargingorifices and causes it to rust. It is still moreobjectionable in cold weather, as the water or steam will freeze andform masses of ice, which adhere to such parts, and which when theybecome detached are likely to be thrown among the machinery or againstthe persons of the operatives, thus being apt to do considerable damage.

The object of my present invention is to provide a means for removingthe sand from the rails immediately after the drivers have passed overit, and to do so in a manner which is at once economical andunobjectionable. This object is accomplished by connecting to anair-pumpin g apparatus (preferably the reservoir of the usual air-brake)pipes leading down to a point in the rear of the drivers, from which anair-blast may be directed upon the rails in a manner which willeffectively remove the sand.

This invention will be first fully described, and then pointed out inthe claims. By its use the above-described objections are fullyovercome, as will be readily understood, the air which is used beingperfectly dry.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof,and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure1 is a side elevation of a locomotive provided With my invention; Fig.2, a rear elevation, as seen from the dotted line 2 2 alongside Fig. 1,of so much of the locomotive as includes my invention; Fig. 8, a detailelevation of the structure embodying my invention and immediatelyadjacent parts on an enlarged scale, as seen from the dotted line 3 3 inFig. 2; and Fig. 4, a detail perspective view, on astill furtherenlarged scale, showing the relation of one of the nozzles to the railand driving-wheel near which it is placed.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the railway-trackrails; B, the driving-wheels to the locomotive; O, the ordinarysanding-pipe; D, the reservoir to an air-pumping apparatus; E, the pipesleading from said reservoir to near the tracks used in carrying out myinvention, and F ahandle or lever by which the valve or valves in saidpipes may be operated. As will be readily understood, all these partsexcept the pipes, 650., whereby the air-blast is directed upon therails, are of an ordinary and well-known construction, and in themselvesare not peculiar to my present invention and will not therefore befurther described herein, except incidentally in describing saidinvention.

The pipe E, as preferably arranged, starts from the air-reservoir D ofthe air-pumping apparatus (although it might be connected to some otherportion of said apparatus) as a single pipe, and then branches out intotwo pipes, which terminate in nozzles e at a point adjacent to thetrack-rails in the rear of the driving-wheels to the locomotive. At (thepoint where this branching occurs I prefer to locate the three-way cockE, having an arm e',by which, through suitable connections extending toa handle in the cab, it may be operated by the engineer or fireman, asmay be desired. The nozzles e are arranged, as shown, to dischargequartering upon the rails, and the openings in said nozzles arecomparatively long narrow slits, and are arranged diagonally to therails. They are also somewhat to one side of the rails-preferablyinside, as shown. By this arrangement, notwithstanding that the nozzlesare quite small and that there is always a considerable vibration of thelocomotive on the rails from side to side, the air-blast will becontinuously upon the rails whatever the position of the locomotivethereon within the ordinary limits of its movement. These nozzels I havefound in practice are of sufficient capacity if the orifice measures oneone -hundredth of an inch in diameter by three fourths of an inch inlength; and it is important (when this device is used in connection withthe air-brake apparatus, as it usually is) that the orifices should besmall, in order that the discharge of air may be continuous for aconsiderable period without reducing the pressure in the reservoir D,which if permitted would, as will be readily understood, be greatly tothe dis advantage of the work of controlling and operating the train,and might, under some circumstances, even result disastrously because ofan inability occasion ed thereby to properly operate the brakes. Withthe small orifices which I use, however, there is no such result, andthis I have demonstrated by actual practical use of the device.

The handle F is shown as a vertical rod having a suitable hand-hold fupon its upper end, which end should extend to a point in the cab of thelocomotive convenient to the engineer or fireman and as having an arm fupon its lower end, which is connected by a horizontal rod F with thearm e on the stem of thecock E; but obviously the form and arrangementof the handle and connecting devices may be varied at pleasure withoutdeparting from my invention.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a railway-track, a locomotive, an ordinary sandingdevice on said locomotive, an air-pumping apparatus also on saidlocomotive, and pipes connected with said air-pumpin g apparatus andleading to points above the track-rails in the rear of thedriving-wheels of the locomotive, whereby an air-blast may be directedupon said rails at these points and sand and dirt thus removed,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with an air pumping apparatus on a locomotive, ofpipes leading to points above the railway-rails to the rear of thedriving-wheels of said locomotive and there terminating in nozzles, theorifices of which nozzles are narrow slits and arranged diagonally tothe railway-tracks, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of an air-pumping apparatus on a locomotive and pipesleading from said air-pumping apparatus to points near to the rails atthe rear of the drivingwheels of. said locomotive, where said pipes areprovided with discharging orifices or nozzles arranged to one side ofand quartering to said rails, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

In'witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 26th day of April, A. D. 1890.

JOHN F. BEVIN. [L. s.]

Witnesses: V

CHESTER BRADFORD, J AMES A. WALSH.

